'Roger Federer cut me, like in the Rocky movie' - Tommy Haas recalls historic RG 2009 match
Roger Federer has a record 20 Grand Slams under his belt, but only one of them has come on the red clay of Roland Garros. The French Open has been Federer's Waterloo for much of his career, and many believe his claim to the GOAT title would have been questionable if he had never lifted the Coupe des Mousquetaires.
However, even his solitary victory in 2009 may not have come to pass if Tommy Haas, his fourth round opponent, had held his nerve midway through the third set. Having lost the first two sets, Federer faced break point while serving at 3-4 in the third. If had got broken there he would likely have lost the match in straights, considering he hadn't broken the Haas serve even once until then.
Haas, a former World No. 2, remembers a struggling Roger Federer doing his best to stay alive in that historic fourth-round tie. Speaking to Daniela Hantuchova in a special rolandgarros.com chat show earlier today, Haas said:
"...Rafa was out. So I think Roger could feel the tension going into that match. And Roger, I remember, didn't really have one of his best matches."
Just a day before Haas' match with Federer, Robin Soderling had knocked out four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal in one of the greatest upsets of the Open Era. The door had suddenly opened for everyone left in the draw to win their first French Open, and Roger Federer - just one elusive title away from the Career Grand Slam - was far and away the favorite to go all the way.
Haas had never previously enjoyed his time in Paris, but in 2009 he was in amazing form going into the fourth round. He had beaten the local lad Jeremy Chardy in the previous round with a masterful performance that silenced the partisan home crowd, and he believed he 'didn't really have much to lose' against the Swiss.
Roger Federer was struggling with his forehand early on: Haas
For the record, Roger Federer is widely considered one of the best claycourt players out there. A four-time runner-up at Roland Garros, Federer has won 75 per cent of his matches on the surface and can certainly hold his head high with respect to his dirtball credentials. It's just that a certain Rafael Nadal has been a thorn in his flesh for years.
The 'King of Clay' has had Federer's number in Paris, having beaten him in all six of their matches. So with Nadal out of the tournament, Federer knew 2009 was his best chance to land that elusive title. He had everything to lose that day against Haas, which showed in his nervy play in the first half of the match.
The German on his part did everything right, and made sure he didn't hand anything on a platter to Roger Federer. It was the perfect storm of circumstances for a famous upset, which would likely have put a serious dent in Federer's legacy.
"He was struggling early on with his forehand to get the timing," Haas said. "I was playing extremely well. I changed it up with my game...playing defence turning it into offence."
Haas was also serving brilliantly, and hadn't been broken a single time on his way to a 7-6, 7-5, 4-3 lead. That was when the crucial break point at 30-40 arrived; Haas remembers the moment vividly:
"I looked at that as a match point because he hadn't broken me up until that point I believe and I was serving well.
Haas felt he actually hit a great backhand return off a good Federer serve, but as it turned out, that wasn't enough. The magician decided to pull out something special from his hat at that crucial moment, and the rest as they say is history.
"I could see him running around that inside-out forehand...he was preparing for it. And he just hits it inside the line for a clean winner," Haas said.
At 4-4 another tight game ensued, but by then Roger Federer was fully in his groove. The Swiss prevailed to get his first break of the match, and the entire complexion of the encounter changed thereafter.
"It's almost like the Rocky IV movie," Haas said. "It's almost like I start bleeding after that game. And he cut me and got the momentum and never looked back."
Roger Federer staged an incredible comeback that day, winning 6-7, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-0. He proved that his nerves were made of stuff lesser mortals could only dream of, bringing out his best when everything hinged on a single point.
After an easy victory over Gael Monfils in the quarterfinal, Federer was again taken to five sets in the semifinal - this time by Juan Martin del Potro. Eventually the Swiss dispatched giant-killer Soderling in the final to register a historic triumph, and cement his GOAT credentials once and for all.
But the fans - and also Tommy Haas - keep going back to that one inside-out forehand in the fourth round that just landed in. It was, as Haas put it, the 'cut' that changed everything.